Clexa One Shots (Discontinued)

It started with a kiss part 3

Lexa's sword fell instantly to the ground when she saw Clarke standing before her. "Clarke?" Her voice trembled, and she had to force herself to breathe so that she may gain some composure.

"Lexa." Clarke spat out the word in disgust. Her brow furrowed as she looked up and down at Lexa, wondering what had brought her to such a pathetic state. She wished she could revel in it, find joy in Lexa's suffering. But she did not. Instead, she found only more ache.

"Your people assured me that your soul had moved on," Lexa explained, noticing the wonder in Clarke's eyes.

"They told you I was dead?" Clarke asked, searching for clarification. Lexa nodded, to which Clarke smiled. "That's pretty funny."

"You find your death to be humorous?" Lexa snapped, aggressively as if it offended her.

"No, Lexa." Clarke stepped forward, leading Lexa to nearly stumble backwards. "I find this..." She pointed up and down the tense brunette. "...humorous. The fact that you expect me to believe that you were... what? Grieving my death?" Clarke shook her head in disbelief.

"How could you find it hard to believe, Clarke?" Lexa replied, more hurt than offended, though her voice was sharp. "Before the war, I... I showed you." She referenced the kiss – the hot, wanting, vulnerable, aching kiss they had shared.

"You showed me something a whole lot different at the Mountain," Clarke reminded her.

"That was... war tactics," Lexa struggled for words. "That was anything but personal, Clarke."

"You left me to die, Lexa." Clarke snapped, walking even closer to Lexa, making the brunette back up into a tree. "How is that not personal?" Her voice boomed with anger, but her eyes grew soft in heartbreak. Lexa lowered her head, unable to face Clarke's pain; unable to accept that it was Lexa herself who had caused it.

"Clarke, you must understand." Lexa pleaded, still avoiding her gaze for fear it might break her down once more. She was already feeling ashamed for how Clarke had found her, sobbing like a child in the woods. Clarke scoffed, though she did understand. Of course she understood – she just wish she didn't.

"May we meet again, Lexa," Clarke sighed, stepping away from the commander, a sad, tired, and hopeless look in her eyes. She was angry, but she wasn't stupid; she knew she could not take Lexa in a fight and, truthfully, she didn't actually want to.

"Wait, Clarke." Lexa reached out to grab Clarke's arm and spin her around gently. "Are you no longer with your people?" she asked with a hint of concern in her voice. Clarke shook her head, uncertain of why Lexa would care for the answer. "You must not wander the woods alone, Clarke." The blonde felt like she was being scolded. "You may follow me back to my camp, if you wish. Many of my people feel indebted to you for what happened at Mount Weather. And even if they oppose of your stay, I can assure you that you will be under my protection."

"I don't need your protection."

"But you do need food, Clarke. And shelter. I can provide that for you," Lexa urged. Clarke stood there, both offended and grateful at once. Her muscles ached and her stomach grumbled, but she did not want to give in to Lexa.

"Okay," she heard herself say. Lexa's eyes brightened with hope. "But only temporarily. Until I figure out where to go."

"As long as you need," Lexa assured her. "Anything else?"

"Yes." Clarke breathed in sharply. "Once we're there, I want nothing to do with you," Clarke laid down her final request and it ached them both to hear it. Lexa had known she would have to keep her distance from Clarke simply out of respect, but hearing the words spoken and witnessing them dangle between them, setting them apart – it agonized her. And Clarke knew too that she needed time away from Lexa, but somehow it did not seem right. Clarke's mind went back to when they'd shared their first kiss and how intimate they had both felt; how hopeful for more they were as they'd left the tent together. But now, with these words, there was hope no more. Nothing more. Just a moment of passion set ablaze within them and then nothing but the bitter taste ash on their lips.

Lexa simply nodded, understandingly and they walked to camp.

"Heda," Indra bowed her head as her Commander entered the camp. "Clarke?" Her face grew concerned as she shifted her eyes questioningly between Lexa and Clarke.

"Hello, In –" Clarke was interrupted by her own gasp as Indra pulled a sword up to her throat.

"Indra!" Lexa snapped. "Stand back." Her voice was sharp, cutting through the village. Grounders stepped forward, witnessing the strange interaction that was taking place.

"Heda, she is a threat to us now." Indra explained defiantly. "A threat to you." Lexa knew at least the latter accusation was true, but not for the reasons Indra thought.

"I have invited Clarke to join us, for she is in need of shelter." Lexa stepped forward, attempting to intimidate Indra. "She is a guest." Indra looked at her commander, incredulously. "Stand down, Indra. It is not a request." Lexa clarified, her eyes burning in rage. Indra gave in, though her face remained still with anger.

Clarke breathed heavily as Indra took her sword away. Lexa turned to look at her, a look of concern in her face. "Clarke," Lexa's voice was made of silk, an abrupt change from the way she had spoken to Indra. "Are you okay?"

Clarke laid down on the furs that covered her bed as she sighed, struggling to not fall immediately into a deep slumber. Lexa had organized a feast in honor of Clarke, even though Clarke had insisted it wasn't necessary. The Commander explained that it would be a great opportunity for the Grounders to fully accept her. She also insisted that she be with Clarke for at least a week, so that her people would not harm her. Thinking of how close to death she had been by Indra's sword, Clarke had no choice but to give in. Lexa had set the dinner to begin in a couple of hours so that Clarke would have enough time to bathe and change into cleaner clothes.

The room she was in was large – not as large as Lexa's but still large enough to hold a bed, a desk, and a bath made of stone. A grounder was now fetching and warming up water for Clark's bath – under Lexa's orders, of course, so Clarke took this moment to relax.

"Your water is ready, Sky Princess," the grounder spoke suddenly, waking Clarke up. "And here are the clothes Heda has sent you." Clarke nodded in appreciation and took the folded clothes. They were grounder clothes – dark and menacing, but soft to the touch.

As she dipped into the warm water, she felt her tense muscles relax. She had never had a bath before, for water on the Ark was scarce so they were limited to only showers (and short ones at that). She let herself go, submerging her chest, running her hands along her skin and scrubbing off dirt. When she was done and felt clean, she laid her head back on the stone and closed her tired eyes.

"Clarke?" Lexa's voiced brought her back.

"Shit," Clarke muttered to herself, realizing that she had fallen asleep once again.

"Clar – oh," Lexa exclaimed as she walked into the tent and saw that Clarke was undressed and still in the bath. Turning around, respectfully, she stuttered out, "W-we're waiting for you to begin the feast."

"I'm so sorry!" Lexa could hear splashes behind her as Clarke tried to hurriedly step out of the bath. "Oh, shit... Um, Lexa?"

"Yes, Clarke?" Lexa swallowed, a tightening building up in her chest as blood rushed to her face.

"Can you hand me the towel?" Clarke asked, shyly. Lexa nodded, walking over to the bed and picking up a towel. "Just... don't look, okay?"

"Of course not," Lexa assured her, walking slowly backwards towards Clarke. She gave Clarke the towel and stood, waiting.

"Shit!" Clarke slipped on her way out and would have fallen backwards, hitting her head on the stone bath had Lexa not quickly spun around and caught her. The blonde girl breathed hard from both the adrenaline of falling and the adrenaline of having Lexa hold her naked body.

Lexa swallowed hard, her heart throbbing in her chest. "You must be more careful, Sky Princess." Clarke was still enveloped in the towel, though only halfway – her chest was uncovered and Clarke shuffled awkwardly and tugged at the towel. Lexa's eyes were glued to Clarke's face, however, breathing deeply only inches away from it.

"I should..." Clarke lost herself in Lexa's wanting eyes for a moment before finding herself once more. "...get dressed." Lexa nodded, removing her arms from around Clarke and realizing, then, that her chest had been uncovered. Lexa flushed red.

Turning away, Lexa said, "I will tell them that you will be out shortly," before rushing out of the tent.